Episode Report Card Strega: C | 88 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT KodaChrome
By Strega | Season 2 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2005.09.09
Biers runs into CIC. Gaeta tells Adama that the Raiders are "on CBDR with Galactica." Biers gets a translation from Dualla: "Constant Bearing, Decreasing Range -- a collision course." Man, even when everyone's in the same room, Dualla still has to dualla. Tigh cues up some exposition that the CAP is at the other end of the fleet. If they can't get across the fleet in the time it takes two Raiders to get from long-range to the Galactica, I think they need to seriously reconsider how far they're letting the fleet spread out. I'm becoming seriously attached to my WKRP interpretation here. Adama orders the alert fighters scrambled, and tells the fleet to get ready to jump FTL "just in case." Just in case of what? Is there any reason not to jump? I don't understand.
Hangar deck. Octacam footage is intercut with the regular shakycam as the pilots and deck crew hustle to launch.
CIC. Gaeta tells Adama that the first team is about to launch. Dualla says, "Pilots on speaker."
Octacam footage of Dualla's interview. Biers asks if she ever made up with her father. Dualla says, "I wouldn't let him." She says that the last time she spoke to her father, things got heated: "I told him I never wanted to see him again. Three weeks later, the Cylons attacked."
Back in CIC, Biers says to Dualla, "I'm new at this. Should I be scared?" Dualla looks up and calmly says, "I am." Biers is new at this? I don't think that's meant to be a tell, but it ought to raise some eyebrows. How many attacks has the fleet been through at this point? And given that the Galactica took a direct hit from a nuke, is a collision with two Raiders really that terrifying a prospect? I mean, yes, it'll do damage, and I suppose they could be a pair of boarding parties, so they shouldn't be yawning about it. But the boarding party only managed to get past their defenses because it was part of an attack of thousands of ships. I think the proper reaction should be suspicion, not terror. Anyway.
Hangar deck. Tyrol orders the crew to get ready for recovery now that the ships are away.
In CIC, everyone listens to the wireless reports from the pilots. Apollo, Starbuck, Hotdog, and Kingston check in. As does a pilot with the callsign "Greyshirt." Moore/Veitch shoutout? Maybe?
This is kind of screwy to try to recap, honestly. We alternate between the hangar deck and CIC while just listening the pilots on the wireless. Journey with me to the days of radio drama. Apollo tells them to prepare to engage. Gaeta answers his phone and says, "Copy that," and Biers races over to film it like that's terribly exciting. Hotdog announces that they're engaging the Raiders, and everyone breaks out champagne for a celebratory toast. Or perhaps I misunderstood. There are a lot of the pilots talking each other through the battle, and eventually Starbuck shouts, "Yeah, splash one!" Let's imagine a cool explosion here. Hotdog says that he's targeting the other Raider, and Apollo urges, "Dammit, take the shot!" There's a pause, and Apollo says, "That's a kill!" Adama hisses, "Yessss," and pumps his fist. Well, at least they didn't start clapping. Tigh says that the dradis is clear. Adama tells the crew that the Raiders were destroyed. As everyone prepares to mellow out, Tigh tells Gaeta, "You have the deck," and wanders away in search of a drink. Biers aims her camera at Dualla and asks if it ever gets easier. Dualla says, "No, Ma'am. It gets harder." Biers lowers the camera and quietly says, "Thank you," before leaving.